This was an interesting read for me this morning. Students: We need coding skills
I suppose I’m not terribly neutral on this. I studied coding in high school; university; became qualified in Computer Science and Data Processing, and taught it for years. Later, I licensed programming languages for use in our schools. I’ve always believed in the power of knowing how to code and, after my first course figured that I was set for life. Fortran was my ticket to everything.
Then, there was COBOL, BASIC, Pascal, C, C+, C#, Lisp, SNOBOL, WATFOR, WATFIV, Turing, ActionScript, Java, Javascript and goodness knows what else.
“Education is what remains after one has forgotten everything he learned in school.” Albert Einstein
I can attest that it only gets easier. But, in the big scheme of things?
I made all of my kids take at least one computer science course in high school. “Daaaaaad. We don’t want to be geeky like you!” The compromise was that they’d take the course but I would help with the homework. (I would have anyway so it was a double win for me…)
None of them went on to be the next great developer and I’m OK with that. What I am proud of though is that they’re all self-sufficient in their own use of technology.
Check out this photo from my daughter – taken with her Android phone. The caption was “Like father, like daughter”.
When you think of the traditional computer science environment, you probably think of each student with their own computer and, hopefully, collaboration spaces around the room.
Maybe, for one class, the room should just be open spaces with devices everywhere. The goal is to take control over all of the devices. For the programmer type, devotion to one device and one language suits the need. For the truly digitally competent, shouldn’t they have more?
And, while we’re at it, shouldn’t it be compulsory for everyone? Along with the implications of being so connected?
Of course, those devices around the room will need to be upgraded regularly.
doug --- off the record 